published: Jan 2012
publisher: Whatcom Museum, Bellingham
Show of Hands
Northwest Women Artists 1880-2010
by Barbara Matilsky
canadian, gender studies
Coinciding with the centennial of women's suffrage in Washington State, Show of Hands: Northwest Women Artists 1880-2010 surveys the contributions made by women to the legacy of Pacific Northwest art. Highlighting work in all media by artists from Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia, it presents an intergenerational dialogue that unfolds thematically. It focuses on artists whose representational approach expresses personal or communal stories that reference historical, social, and environmental issues. Many artists find inspiration in Native American art, and the
heritage of women's handicrafts is given a new twist by contemporary artists who reinterpret skills passed down through generations. Show of Hands also includes a wide variety of landscapes, which inspired many of the earliest artists.
Barbara Matilsky
Barbara Matilsky is Curator of Art at the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, Washington.
A concise narrative that captures the artists and their work. . . . a good starter kit for further exploration of these important artists.
— City Living